- The U.S. government shutdown went into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET Tuesday after lawmakers in the House and the Senate could not agree on a spending bill to fund the government.
- See how shutdown could affect you; and see what will be closed; what will be open.
- Senate on Tuesday morning rejected another GOP measure that would have altered Obamacare, and a House GOP request to negotiate differences.
- President Barack Obama: Shutdown is the "height of irresponsibility." | Transcript
- Congress managed to pass a bill that would allow members of the military to continue receiving pay during shutdown.
- Updates below; also, check out our full story.

soundoff(969 Responses)

Winston Smith

Every time one of the republicans talks to the masses, they speak of the American people that have mandated them to act like they do. How many remember the amount of people voting last election, compared to the entire population. The statistics should show that this so called republican majority they speak of was somewhere in the 12-to-13 percent range, and that number comes nowhere near the number of people that Boehner speaks of. His vision is askew. He's been instrumental in awakening a sleeping giant. The American people are going to go to the voting booths in droves this next time, and if a republican gets elected in the future, it'll be by accident.

October 1, 2013 01:37 am at 1:37 am |

Johnny Liberty

Who said that the government deserved to be "open"?

October 1, 2013 01:42 am at 1:42 am |

jflake

If our elected officials feel that a shut down to the government is a solution, I feel that the Senate, Congress, and Obama should all get the IOU pink slips instead of paychecks first before anything else is eliminated/locked out. Maybe an incentive to be realistic is what they need. Obama Care starts irregardless, so why is that the hold up? Deal with it separately and get moving on the rest of the budget and do what you were elected to do. If the average Joe does not do their job, they don't get paid. So I vote until the budget is finalized don't pay the elected officals.

October 1, 2013 01:44 am at 1:44 am |

Keep

They couldn't agree on obamacare which will not even be affected because it goes in effect today. So why.??...? They should be furloughed. But guess what there is a God watching and vengeance is his for all the people who lose jobs and families who will suffer

Fed workers have continued to work even though their 1% pay raise was denied; congress didn't work although they gave themselves a 3% pay raise. Now they've just hurt thousands of people with a shut down...but will still get paid while the workers don't. They blame each other but both parties are at fault. Embarrassing.

October 1, 2013 01:50 am at 1:50 am |

jflake

Pink slips / IOU's instead of paychecks for the Senate, House and Obama should be the first to be handed out. If I the average Joe does not do their job they don't get a paycheck, so why are they above it? Obama care is happening irregardless of government budget so drop it, get the budget set, and deal with it later, instead of holding our country hostage to deal with something that is currently not affected by the vote unless you force it into the vote. Get real, Get serious, Get it done. So my vote is the first NO PAY from the government is NO PAY for the politicians holding the USA hostage financially.

The VA could have kept their piece. My husband did two tours in Iraq, has been discharged for almost two years and has yet to hear anything about the disability that is due him. Seems to me the VA has been shutdown.

October 1, 2013 01:53 am at 1:53 am |

jwb

I wonder if this crisis is related to the supreme court decision related to Citizens United ?

October 1, 2013 02:02 am at 2:02 am |

GregoryAtl

It was not enough for the Republicans to take 40% of the DJIA value during the "W" years. Now they are back chipping away at my 401K via the Republican controlled House of Representatives. The only winner when the stock market falls is the "1 percenters," whiich is the real group that controls the Republican party.

October 1, 2013 02:10 am at 2:10 am |

labman57

So what's next on the list of inane House Republican demands to prevent further damage to the nation's economy - a do-over of the 2012 presidential election?

October 1, 2013 02:13 am at 2:13 am |

SS

The government they didn't build that, we did...

October 1, 2013 02:17 am at 2:17 am |

c

just returned from a vacation near a national park- loads of families and foreign tourists....if it had been closed the week I was there, I would have been really angry. ships, hotels, restaurants, tour operators.....these people stale mating are in for a rude response.

October 1, 2013 02:20 am at 2:20 am |

Mark

The Affordable Care Act was passed LAWFULLY according to the rules of goverment! If the Republicans have a legitimate grievance against this LAW, then they should play the game correctly:
1. Lobby the country that their cause is the correct one
2. Win a mandate in the next elections to guarantee the required majority in Congress and in the White House
3. Introduce a bill repealing and/or amending the ACA.
4. Have the necessary votes to pass the motion and also have the White House member to not veto it.

This is a brie synopsis of the rules of government. No where in the Constitution does it state anything about shutting the government down if one party cannot impart its platform LAWFULLY. I love the way the Republican party has a tendency to ignore the Constitution when it is convenience for them...this is just disgusting, and our world credit rating should drop again because it is a joke that we can't even fund our own bureaucracy!

October 1, 2013 02:21 am at 2:21 am |

Carol

Why is Congress getting paid when they aren't working? Employees don't get paid after getting a 1% raise when Congress isn't doing anything but giving themselves a 5% raise and cutting off everything and everyone else? When people are furloughed, they can't even draw unemployment. They had best remember there' an election next year.

October 1, 2013 02:24 am at 2:24 am |

It's a mini paid vacation for Congressmen

The problem I have is that all the congressmen will continue to get paid during this time. Cut all their pay I say, see how fast they get a deal going.

October 1, 2013 02:40 am at 2:40 am |

Kasm64

Everybody! We pay federal taxes, state taxes , medical, 401k just like the private sector. It is the politicians who don't. Big freaking difference. I don't even come close to making 6 figures but my agency actually does return $6 to every $1 spent on me. I audit government contractors meaning I protect our money and make sure it is used correctly. If you don't know anything about non political federal workers keep your mouths shut!

October 1, 2013 02:56 am at 2:56 am |

tom

What about sequestration – the only viable way to make politics in these days?
Both of the houses agreed to that system.
Ok, that is a sad joke – but American reality....
What about the next issue...The next human error of the politicians!

October 1, 2013 03:21 am at 3:21 am |

Vote Them All Out

I would like to know how many Senators and Congressmen were in their respective chambers when midnight came and passed without a budget. If they were so disinterested in keeping the government from being shut down, then they should be the first ones to be voted out of office. It is time to do some house cleaning and vote ALL of them out of office and start with people (not politicians) that have the interests of the country in mind not the interests of the PARTY.

October 1, 2013 03:24 am at 3:24 am |

don in albuquerqu

GOTP just could not bring themselves to offer a clean bill. W was given five clean bills with no arguements. Time to take the GOTP out of the picture. I am proud of the POTUS and the Senate for standing their ground. Besides was it not the GOTP who's mantra as soon as Obama came into offi ce was No Compromise. Well they continued and this is where we are. Like a little milk in your tea cup of blood? Tea Party....enemies of America.

October 1, 2013 03:41 am at 3:41 am |

mike Ritter

So shut down the U.S.A. and go back home GOP. We are all paying you to throw your little tantrum while you lay around to think about how you will spend the comfy retirement package we will afford you. Meanwhile start envisioning all of those possible millions you can make in the future as lobbyists for the companies you have been courting during your employment of the people. and granting "favors to. As for me, I lost my non-profit job of serving meals and delivering them to seniors
living on social security. I.m now cashing in my retirement plan to pay my home mortgage and taxes.

October 1, 2013 03:48 am at 3:48 am |

Cathey

Congress has been on paid vacation for five years and counting. I suggest that if they want to be like everyone else, their first vote today should be to forego their paychecks for as long as this shutdown lasts! The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land and the Republicans might do well to accept that and move on to the important issues of today rather than trying refight yesterday's issue. I foresee 800,000 straight democratic tickets in the futures of Republican Congressmen in 2014.

October 1, 2013 03:53 am at 3:53 am |

George Town

Are US embassies open during the government shutdown?

October 1, 2013 04:04 am at 4:04 am |

maryellen

Why can't we just limit spending to what we have. Let's argue how to allocate actual resources not fantasy funds.

October 1, 2013 04:16 am at 4:16 am |

Leesah

I am a DOD worker for the pearl harbor naval shipyard in Hawaii. I've gotten a 2nd job earlier this year to support myself in case of furloughs but we somehow managed to not get furloughed. Now we're going to shutdown? Wth!?! The cost of living in Hawaii is extremely high, and I have 2 kids with another on the way, and now while Congress goes to sleep knowing they're still getting paid the rest of us hard working federal workers are going to be up all night worrying about our future?